Albion Embraces Redevelopment Vibrant and resilient, Albion is eager to partner on growing your business. The Peabody Project Local residents, Bill & Karen Dobbins, have introduced to the community a $1.7 million mixed use development project in one of the oldest buildings in downtown Albion. The building was named after the first settlers and was erected in 1852. The Dobbins have put in place a team of experts to revitalize the vacant building into first floor commercial space and market rate apartments on the second and third floor. The City of Albion is supportive of this project and has received a letter of interest from the MEDC for up to $800,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds as part of the project financing. Additionally, the community will enter into a tax sharing agreement allowing the Dobbins to be reimbursed for some of the development costs, while allowing the community to benefit from the tax revenue. Albion Malleable Brewing Company Beer enthusiasts, Ben Wade, Charles Moreau and John Grant and the New Albion Impact Group (NAIG), a group of local investors, will be opening a microbrewery and taproom in late Summer, early Fall 2017. The projected $1 million project will occupy 3,600 square feet of a currently vacant facility located at the gateway to the downtown from the South at the corner of South Superior and Ash Street. The Brewery will have food service and future plans include café seating on the sidewalk, wine making and expanding as demand requires. The project will require approximately 15 full time employees when operational. The Brewery also has plans to partner with the Albion Food Hub & Commercial Kitchen for some of the food preparation aspects to maximize output and minimize the expense of a commercial kitchen at this time. The Albion Food Hub is located within walking distance of the brew pub. Albion Downtown Courtyard by Marriot A partnership between Albion College, college alumni and the City/Community, resulted in a $9.2 million 72 room boutique hotel being constructed right across from the historic Bohm Theater and in the middle of a downtown on the cusp of being revitalized. The hotel will feature a restaurant, conference rooms and a ballroom and anticipates opening in late Fall 2017. The project, being lead by Albion College alumnus Dr. Samuel Shaheen and Shaheen Development, received a $1 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and nearly $1 million in additional funds from the City of Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to prepare the site for the build. Additionally, Albion College invested $4 million as part of the financing for the project.
Lights, Camera, Action Take II Historic Bohm Theatre Redevelopment & Expansion For more than 30 years local arts groups had worked to acquire the Bohm Theatre but the cost to acquire and renovate prohibited it from moving forward. The theatre stopped operation in November 2008 and in 2010 it tax reverted to the County. At that time, the Albion Community Foundation and the Albion Downtown Development Authority joined forces and formed the Friends of the Bohm Theatre. It soon became evident that there was enough community support to restore and revitalize the historic theatre and restoration began in September 2011. The theatre reopened in Fall 2014. In May 2015 the Bohm Theatre was awarded the prestigious Governor s Award for Historic Preservation. The theatre has been an economic driver for downtown Albion, has created a sense of place and serves as an anchor which helped attract the Marriott Courtyard hotel project and the coming brew pub. Building on its growth and success, the Bohm Theatre expanded its programming operations by adding an intimate 40 seat screening room in the adjoining building. The project received a $50,000 matching grant from the MEDC and MSHDA after raising the matching funds through their Patronicity crowd funding campaign. Albion College Continues to Invest in Community Harrington Neighborhood Redeveloped In February 2016, a $1 million gift from a college alumnus made a long term housing development strategy a reality by allowing the College to offer financial incentives designed to attract college faculty and staff to live near campus, as well as provide financial support for students. For Judy and Michael Harrington, the memories of selfless parents and a top flight education at Albion College spurred them to make the gift to the school that has meant so much to them over the years. The neighborhood being targeted for redevelopment by this project connects the campus with Downtown Albion and will promote a living and learning community that will complement the many other exciting projects and investments happening in Albion. The Ludington Center Through generous donations of more than $2 million from alumni and private foundations, Albion College has renovated a two story building at 101 N. Superior St. in the heart of downtown Albion. The Ludington Center is the result of a new Albion College president and a renewed vision for the role Albion College plays in our community, our state, and our region. It
will be the public space that embodies the College s commitment to our host community. Most important, prospective students, alumni, and partners will see that Albion College is hands on, and that we embrace our mission and founding principles. It is only appropriate that the Ludington Center s physical address also suggests an introductory course in community excellence 101 Superior, a place where the classroom and the community intersect. The Ludington Center houses the College s Career & Internship Center; offices for several of the College s pre professional institutes, including the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service and the Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management; and, lastly, a downtown space from which to coordinate the Build Albion Fellows and AmeriCorps VISTA service programs. Several classrooms are also located in the building, along with retail space and community meeting spaces. It is planned that community partner organizations, visiting scholars, and experts in residence will also have offices in the Ludington Center, from which it is expected new ideas and partnerships will take root and grow. $3.5 million Upgrade for Davis Athletic Complex Albion College has a long and proud tradition of success in intercollegiate athletics. This tradition is now turning a new page with the recently completed, multimillion dollar Davis Athletic Complex, named after Albion residents Bud and Ruby Davis, longtime friends and supporters of the College who generously supported the project along with many other alumni. The new complex serves as the home of Britons baseball, softball, soccer, and lacrosse. The facility is a wonderful representation of Albion College's commitment to providing a first class education and athletic experience for its student athletes as well as a source of pride and entertainment for the greater Albion community. Albion College Equestrian Center Albion College s Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center is a full service, state of the art riding facility built on 340 acres of undulating land. Albion College finished construction on an impressive new $1.8 million arena in the summer of 2016. In addition to providing equestrians in Albion with a state of the art indoor facility, both students and community members are invited to board
their horses in one of 80 stalls and to ride on the trails that wind through the 340 acres surrounding the arena. The new facility is one of the largest on any college campus in the country, and it is designed for hosting regional equestrian events that will bring thousands of visitors to Albion in the coming years. The multiphase plan for the Equestrian Center includes new paddocks and outdoor show arenas that will turn it into a regional showpiece and economic driver for Albion. College Brings AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) to Albion Albion College has made a commitment to the community through writing and receiving an AmeriCorps VISTA grant, which allowed 11 VISTA members to work with the College and City in 2016 & 2017 to boost economic development, education and health initiatives. Albion Food Hub Opened Spring 2016 Albion Food Hub The Albion Food Hub is a unique partnership that took a blighted downtown building and repurposed it into a hub of the community brining public and private together. The $600,000 rehabilitation and construction of a commercial kitchen was completed in early Spring 2016. In addition to the commercial kitchen aspect, the Food Hub provides for a year round Farmer s Market, a food aggregation and exchange and assists in improving food security through participation and coordination with local food charities and agencies. The commercial kitchen allows for small businesses to lower costs to create and sustain food related businesses and encourages entrepreneurship through the kitchen incubator. The Albion Food Hub seeks to partner with food based businesses to promote growth in Albion. The City of Albion Being Proactive for Redevelopment Redevelopment Ready Certification The City of Albion is actively engaged in the Redevelopment Ready Community (RRC) Program offered through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). Albion is adopting best practices in its zoning regulations, its development review policies and procedures, and in the marketing of priority redevelopment sites. By streamlining its development processes, the City is looking to improve the experience for investors and businesses looking to invest in Albion. In addition, Albion is working to increase the bandwidth of its fiber optic infrastructure, in order to increase the efficiency of moving data. Demand for New Housing Downtown and Citywide A recently conducted target market analysis (TMA) reports that there is demand for new rental and for sale housing units in and around the downtown Albion. Between now and 2022, an estimated 432 housing units could be absorbed in the area. New housing products could range from loft apartments, duplexes, townhouses, and live/work spaces to single family houses. Albion College has made it a top priority to launch a long term housing development strategy
with financial incentives designed to attract people to live and either rent or purchase residential dwellings in the downtown area. The City of Albion and its key stakeholders are taking the steps necessary to build a high density, walkable downtown, including apartments above commercial spaces, that provides easy access to amenities like the Albion River Trail. Trail Town Designation The City of Albion has been recognized by the Michigan Department of Resources (DNR) as the hub for Michigan trails. Two national walking and biking trails the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) and the Great Lake to Lake Trail along with Michigan s Iron Belle Trail converge at Albion s historic Victory Park, one of Albion s 17 scenic parks. In addition, Albion was awarded a $294,000 Trust Fund Grant from the DNR to expand the Albion River Trail. The trail will extend past the newly renovated Albion College Equestrian Center. The City recognizes the importance of the community s trails as an asset and seeks to be designated as a Trail Town. Trails would have signage posted that would allow for promoting and identifying the amenities and attractions that would be of interest to trail users at access points. Only in Albion Quality of Life full of Arts and Music Albion has a growing culture that supports the arts and music and many unique festivals and special events that happen only in Albion: Festival of the Forks Albion Aglow French Market Summer and Winter Farmers Market Kanoe the Kazoo (on the River) Krazy for the Kazoo River Cleanup The Blues at the Bohm Theatre Schuler Arts Studio and many local artists Outdoor Music events Music at the Shell; Walk the Beat; Jazz at Cascarelli s Live @ Lloyds 58 mazzilion churches in town & The Old Rugged Cross Holland Park Victory Park s disc golf course Fourth of July Cruise In and Fireworks Mother s Day And so much more!